The Bureau of Commercial Services, Licensing Division within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs licenses real estate brokers. The Michigan Board of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons was created under Article 25 of Public Act 299 of 1980, as amended, to license and regulate the practice of real estate brokers and salespersons in Michigan.

New!  Renewals for these tasks are accessible through the Michigan Business One Stop portal.

A. NAME OF LICENSE OR APPROVAL:

Broker License Application for Corporations form

Broker License Application for a Limited Liability Company (LLC)

Broker License Application for a Partnership or Limited Partnership

Associate Broker License Application

Broker - Branch Office License Application form

Other Real Estate Broker forms

B. STATUTORY AUTHORITY:

PA 299 of 1980 (Occupational Code) Article 25

C. APPLICABLE REGULATION:

Administrative Rules

D. SUMMARY OF LICENSE/APPROVAL PROCESS:

 1.  Applicability (activities that require a license)

Article 25 defines a real estate broker as an individual or an entity, who with intent to collect or receive a fee, compensation, or valuable consideration, sells or offers for sale, buys or offers to buy, provides or offers to provide market analysis, lists or offers or attempts to list, or negotiates the purchase or sale or exchange or mortgage of real estate, or negotiates for the construction of a building on real estate; who leases or offers or rents or offers for rent real estate or the improvements on the real estate for others, as a whole or partial vocation; who engages in property management as a whole or partial vocation; who sells or offers for sale, buys or offers to buy, leases or offers to lease, or negotiates the purchase or sale or exchange of a business, business opportunity, or the goodwill of an existing business for others; or who, as owner or otherwise, engages in the sale of real estate as a principal vocation.

 2.  Pre-Application Requirements

Qualifying Education	Exams	Experience	Continuing Education
90 clock hours of approved coursework required within 36 months of application, unless licensed continuously.	Examination (administered by PSI Services, LLC)	At least 3 years full time experience as a real estate salesperson, or equivalent experience (Rule 205).	2 clock hours every year. 18 total per 3 year cycle.

An applicant for a broker license must meet all requirements for licensure before submitting an application to the Department. Successful broker license exam candidates will be provided an Associate Broker License Application with their passing score notification. Other types of broker license applications (Individual, LLC, Corporation, Partnership) can be found at forms and publications on our website. An application must verify required real estate experience and successful completion of all required education. Some applicants will be required to provide other documentation depending upon their background, e.g. all applicants must possess good moral character; applicants who currently hold, or have ever held a real estate license in another state or jurisdiction must submit a current letter of good standing from each regulatory entity.

An individual may be licensed as either an Individual Broker, which denotes operation as a sole proprietorship, or as an Associate Broker, an individual who qualifies as a broker but is licensed to a Broker or another broker entity type, LLC, partnership, corporation broker. If Individual Brokers are using a business name (e.g., John Doe d.b.a. Doe Realty), an assumed name certificate must be obtained from the county clerk's office and filed with the application. An Associate Broker cannot operate with an assumed name. If the broker's license will be held by an entity, at least one owner or principal must apply for an Associate Broker's license to that broker. The Department has a brochure entitled "Your Real Estate Broker License Application -- An Applicant's Guide" (BCS/LRE-035) - to assist applicants through this process.

 3.  Application Submission Requirements

Applicants must submit a signed application form and the information that is specified in Article 25 of P.A. 299 of 1980, as amended (Occupational Code) laws and/or rules and directions for completing an application.

 4.  Procedures and Time-Frame for Obtaining License or Approval

N/A

 5.  Operational Requirements

N/A

 6.  Fees

Real Estate License Fees (Public Act 77 of 2007, effective September 30, 2007 maintained the application processing fees at current levels through September 30, 2012):

LICENSE TYPE OR SERVICES	10/01/06 to 10/31/07	11/01/07 to 10/31/08	11/01/08 to 07/01/09*
Brokers/Associate Brokers, new	$143.00	$107.00	$71.00
Broker/Associate Brokers, re-licensure	$163.00	$127	$91
Branch Office, new	$70.00	$50.00	$20.00
Branch Office, re-licensure	$90.00	$70.00	$40.00
Address change, per license reprinted	$10.00	$10.00	$10.00

*Department-wide policy requires issuance of next cycle's expiration date if the license that will be issued will have a term of less than 120 days (4 months) therefore we start issuing licenses with an expiration dates of October 31, 2012 in July 2009.

Renewal Fees (all license types expire October 31, 2009):

LICENSE TYPE	FEE
Brokers/Associate Brokers	$108.00
Branch Offices	$60.00
Out of State Property Registration	$500.00
Application to sell out of state property/broker	$20.00
Renewal of out of state property registration	$20.00

Examination fees: Register by visiting the PSI Services, LLC (PSI) website at PSI Services, LLC and follow the instructions.

LICENSE TYPE	FEE
Brokers	$48.00

 7.  Appeal Process

For the occupations regulated under the Occupational Code, this generally describes the procedure that is followed when an applicant for a license has received a formal denial of the application. The Code calls what they file a Petition for Review and requires that the Department receive it within 30 days. The appeal/petition is placed on the board agenda for the next regularly scheduled board meeting. The Petitioner files a written request to appeal that is accompanied by any documents, which would substantiate their reason why the denial should be overturned and a license granted. The two main categories of denial are: lack of good moral character and failure to meet the license requirements (lack of education, experience, failed exam, etc.) The Board and Department hear the appeal/Petition during the meeting. The Board vote must be agreed upon by the Department; in case of the Board voting to overturn the denial and the Department disagreeing (wanting the denial to stand), the Department has the final decision. If the Petitioner is in attendance, the Petitioner knows the outcome then but either way a letter outlining the results is mailed to the Petitioner. Should the Petitioner wish to appeal an upheld denial determination made at the Board meeting, the next step would be filing in Circuit Court. If the occupation is not under the Occupational Code, the Bureau Director would hear the appeal and any upheld denial by the Bureau Director could also be appealed to Circuit Court.

 8.  Public Input Opportunities

The public has an opportunity to provide input in various ways. Typical opportunities for input are when administrative rules are being considered at a Public Hearing. The public has an opportunity to address specific draft rules or the rule set overall either in writing or by testimony at the hearing. At open Board Meetings, the public is given an opportunity to address the board on either specific items or in general. At any time a member of the public wishes to address a Bureau practice, policy or procedure, a letter to the Bureau Director may be sent. The Bureau also receives many inquiries or comments by way of letters to the Governor regarding Bureau operations or specific licensure applications.

E. Contact Information:

Contact Us

 

Creation/Revision Date:

September 29, 2010